Media Rafael Fiziev Says Creation of UFC 165lb Division "Isn't Just a Rumor, It's Already Happening For Sure"

[Black9]

According to a Russian Interview with Fiziev posted yesterday on the "Ushatayka" youtube channel

It might FINALLY happen guys. Maybe Conor vs Chandler?

Who do you guys see as champion if it comes about?

 

[svmr_db]

I heard Fiziev heard it from twitter, very reliable

 

[SKYNET]

 

[Objectively Correct]

I don't see the necessity, it's just going to water down the promotion. If everybody is champ, nobody is champ. What's next, make a belt for every 5 pounds?

 

[chinarice]

Sounds terrible.

 

[Bobble Head]

Don’t you dare play with my emotions like this.

 

[svmr_db]

Dana White on 165 lb division rumors:

 

[Fergelmince]

WTF does he care? He's already a little under-sized for LW.

 

[Dorkman]

I'm down with it as long as 175 comes with it, and 170 is removed. And add 195 as well. Then it'd be 10 lb symmetry all the way from 125 to 205. I know people will whine about "oh it's make these divisions shallower". That sorts itself out over time and in the end i think it'd be a net gain. Make 175 be welterweight moving forward, have 165 be like Junior Welterweight. And 195 be cruiserweight.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I'm down with it as long as 175 comes with it, and 170 is removed. And add 195 as well. Then it'd be 10 lb symmetry all the way from 125 to 205. I know people will whine about "oh it's make these divisions shallower". That sorts itself out over time and in the end i think it'd be a net gain. Make 175 be welterweight moving forward, have 165 be like Junior Welterweight. And 195 be cruiserweight.

195 is unnecessary, there aren't enough guys at MW/LHW for it to make sense.

 

[Romulas]

I'm down with it as long as 175 comes with it, and 170 is removed. And add 195 as well. Then it'd be 10 lb symmetry all the way from 125 to 205. I know people will whine about "oh it's make these divisions shallower". That sorts itself out over time and in the end i think it'd be a net gain. Make 175 be welterweight moving forward, have 165 be like Junior Welterweight. And 195 be cruiserweight.

195 would have made a big diff for me career wise. Same with many malnurished MWs that didn't have the frames to compete with 240lb LHWs.

 

[humdizzle]

i think there is just too much legacy in 170 to create 165. dana would never do it... he's too focused on powerslap

 

[Dorkman]

195 is unnecessary, there aren't enough guys at MW/LHW for it to make sense.

At first probably, But I think in 3-5 years it sorts itself out. The gap between those classes is so big. 20 lbs is a lot.

 

[markys00]

I don't see the necessity, it's just going to water down the promotion. If everybody is champ, nobody is champ. What's next, make a belt for every 5 pounds?

In theory, they could turn the stupid bmf into the 165 belt. Yea, it might water it down a bit, but that's natural progression imo

 

[rjmbrd]

I'm down with it as long as 175 comes with it, and 170 is removed. And add 195 as well. Then it'd be 10 lb symmetry all the way from 125 to 205. I know people will whine about "oh it's make these divisions shallower". That sorts itself out over time and in the end i think it'd be a net gain. Make 175 be welterweight moving forward, have 165 be like Junior Welterweight. And 195 be cruiserweight.

There are more guys signed at 155/170 than all other divisions combined. You can easily spread out 155/165/175 and still have similar or better roster depth compared with 185/205.

As it stands today, there isn't roster depth to make 195lbs, and frankly until the revenue split increases, it won't change. Suitably young athletes that size will not choose MMA as their first option. Its 12k show money to get brain damage live on PPV.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

At first probably, But I think in 3-5 years it sorts itself out. The gap between those classes is so big. 20 lbs is a lot.

I don't think the talent will be there in 3-5 years either unless the pay somehow goes up a bunch and I don't see that happening.

 

[Dorkman]

There are more guys signed at 155/170 than all other divisions combined. You can easily spread out 155/165/175 and still have similar or better roster depth compared with 185/205.

As it stands today, there isn't roster depth to make 195lbs, and frankly until the revenue split increases, it won't change. Suitably young athletes that size will not choose MMA as their first option. Its 12k show money to get brain damage live on PPV.

Oh i'd expect the talent to thin out at 185,195, 205 at first. But i think in 3+ years it starts to level out with guys being able to plan those diets and weight classes longer term. I just think of guys like Yoel, Costa, Franklin etc who just had abyssmal cuts to 185 that definitely affects them. But being a tad bit average to even undersized at LHW where you're fighting effective HW's at time. And 195 would really set guys like that free. But yeah like you said business end will trump all in the end. I've just been rattling this can for a few years now even before this mention by fiziev.

 

[Psychojoe86]

Will do more harm than good imo. Endless talk over “super fights” and double champs.

Only benefit will be more headliners and less time for stacked division to earn shots

 

[smiles mma]

I don't see the necessity, it's just going to water down the promotion. If everybody is champ, nobody is champ. What's next, make a belt for every 5 pounds?

By adding 1or 2 divisions?

 

[KungFuCow]

Im all for it. You never know who might turn out to be a world beater when they arent cutting so much weight.